TRANSPORT agencies involved in the Glasgow Airport Rail Link have moved to dodge blame for the spiralling costs.

TRANSPORT agencies involved in the Glasgow Airport Rail Link have moved to dodge blame for the spiralling costs.

Strathclyde Partnership for Transport, airport owners BAA and Transport Scotland were all involved in planning and pricing the project.

The cost increase blamed by the SNP Government when it axed the link last week centred on work to move fuel tanks, a car park and a private nursery to allow the line to be brought to the terminal.

First Minister Alex Salmond was told the decision would make Glasgow and Scotland a "laughing stock" on the world stage as the link was a key part of the Commonwealth Games bid.

Glasgow City Council leader Steven Purcell said he has gone back on a promise and Stuart Patrick, chief executive of Glasgow Chamber of Commerce, was concerned about the message it sent out internationally.

Initially, the Scottish Parliament was told by SPT it would cost £7.8million to move the fuel tanks which increased to £16m by the time the project was taken over by Transport Scotland.

The Scottish Government says that in less than three years the cost of the moves rose from £7.8m in January 2007 to £70m now.

SPT chairman Alistair Watson said all the initial cost estimates of the project were approved as accurate by the Scottish Parliament in January 2007, and that any cost problems arose "after the time that SPT was the lead agency on the project".

Transport Scotland said costs were seriously underestimated before the project was handed over to them but a BAA spokeswoman said: "We are disappointed Transport Scotland underestimated the costs."

The final costs were £37m for the fuel tanks, another £29m for the car park and other buildings and £4m reimbursement for BAA.

A spokesman for Transport Scotland said that following transfer of responsibility, Transport Scotland spoke to BAA and Pentland Aviation about the compensation element which would have had to be paid to relocate the fuel farm which had not previously been considered.